Bottom of the pile: Rochdale FC all but relegated

Rochdale's return to League Two was all but confirmed at Yeovil on Saturday, where John Coleman’s side lost 3-1. On the back of their dramatic, heart-breaking draw against Walsall the weekend previous, Dale produced a spirited show at Huish Park but were undone by sloppy defending.

Rochdale's return to League Two was all but confirmed at Yeovil on Saturday, where John Coleman’s side lost 3-1.

On the back of their dramatic, heart-breaking draw against Walsall the weekend previous, Dale produced a spirited show at Huish Park but were undone by sloppy defending.

And with Chesterfield and Exeter both winning on Monday, Dale ended the Easter weekend bottom of League One.

Coleman’s team take on automatic promotion hopefuls Sheffield United at Spotland tonight with the manager calling on his players to tighten up at the back having shipped six goals in the last two games.

"We showed a lot of spirit and kept going right to the end at Yeovil," said Coleman.

"We took the game to them, but if we keep giving goals away in the manner we did you cannot expect to win matches.

"We have to keep ourselves in games and we didn’t work hard enough to keep ourself in the game.

"At 2-0 they were hanging on and they broke away and scored against the run of play."

Though hopes of survival appear forlorn, Coleman insists the players must remain motivated.

"The players shouldn’t have to be lifted for games now," he said. "If they do they are in the wrong business."